Espresso machines is not really how cuban coffee is made from my understanding. I believe it is boiled. I have heard turkish/greek coffee can be boiled with the steam wand on an espresso machine. I have never seen it done but I understand the Greek nuns that run a coffee shop in WA state do it that way.

Cuban coffee/espresso is made with Moka Pots. You wait till it starts to boil, then pour the 1st few drops into the Demerara sugar and froth it, then pour in the coffee when its finished in the pot. It's also only made with Bustelo or Pilon, can use any coffee in a Moka but none taste how Bustelo or Pilon are when done this way. Growing up in South Florida and lots of Cuban friends, this is how it's made.

However Moka isn't espresso, and even a $10k+ superauto for commercial use still sucks imo lol, just inherent to the superauto design, home/cheap ones are even worse let alone won't stand up to commercial use without self destructing.

Your way better off using a decent commercial rated semi machine, good grinder, and fresh beans. Starbucks uses very expensive commercial superautos and the coffee is horrible, their stale burnt beans don't help lol

im going to guess now but ill say 75 its primarily an ice cream shop but if the coffee is good we might get a coffee crowd theres a starbucks just a minute walk away but im not sure people go to starbucks for good coffee but if someone did try to get a decent coffee maybe theyd come to me since i plan on upping the ante a bit

Not a coffee related comment but a business one, you need to take a serious step back and come up with a business plan otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure.

I'm guessing 75 is a random number you pulled out of the air, and not based on any sort of research. "I'm trying to open up an ice cream shop" isn't a business model, and you're asking for what type of machine to buy before even knowing what kind of coffee you want to make with it.

I could see there being a very large market for blended and chilled espresso based drinks but that doesn't seem to be your focus? You also dont have a clear understanding of what something like a starbucks does to the business environment. People go to starbucks in search of better coffee, pay a lot for it, and while it's still garbage it's also generally better than any of your other options. Having a number of starbucks open up actually creates a climate where people are open to the idea of gourmet coffee, so if you can offer something much better at a similar price there is a good chance you will be successful.

im thinking it through. like i said i wanted a respectable espresso menu. espressos and espresso based drinks. about the number 75 youre right i said its a guess and thats the best i can do now. i do know my demography the store will be kosher and in an outdoor shopping center next to the only dedicated kosher supermarket in the state so its a magnet for the extended jewish community in the state. also within a mile radius are 3 jewish high schools. between this i think i have a model which can keep me busy. im not worried about failure because im targeting a specific demography and there really isnt anything like it around so the clientele is here. right now im in the initial stages planning the menu and operations but its slated to open in the spring. i have a couple of angles i could approach this from and while they dont conflict my concern is overextending myself. obviously everything needs to come together seamlessly. right now im thinking icecream/milkshakes/waffles/canol i/cheesecake/espressobar/(grilled cheese) and if i can secure the licenses beer and wine since im a homewinemaker. i think 100 is a good starting point thats what i should be able to accommodate on opening. the thing is the business model isnt based on the coffee crowd but it will cater a better product and accommodate them. i think ice cream here is the focal point. if this seems amateurish im open to suggestions.

So as for your business model, at least in my part of the continent i dont know the jewish community to be particularly interested in high end coffee. You need to define your target market and design a business model that focuses on that. If it's high school kids, create products that are focused at them.

Wine and beer doesn't even remotely fit the target market of an ice cream/grilled cheese shop. And as a wine lover i'll just go out and say that no one wants to drink your home made wine (there's probably a whole other set of licensing involved there as well licensing yourself as a winery). This whole concept lacks focus. You need to decide specifically what products you are looking to make, and then maybe someone can help you decide how to get there. I think you have your answer as for how to make cuban coffee whatevers

I sort of hate to say this, but you might look into one on the commercial Nespresso solutions, although I'm not sure if they are available in the US at the moment.

Your other option would be to find a roaster to sign on with who can provide training, support, and equipment at discounted prices or for free with a long term commitment. Unless you're a dedicated coffee geek yourself or have a partner that's a barista (home or professional), I wouldn't attempt to add quality coffee to your offerings on your own. I'm friendly with some guys who run a local artisan icecream shop here in LA. They started out attempting to do some espresso for affogatos using a K10 and a higher end prosummer espresso machine. Both they and their kit weren't ready to run at a commercial pace, so they scrapped it for about a year before picking it up again with the help of a coffee consultant.

If you want to make high quality coffee as a serious part of your business, you need to get some professional help. Otherwise, a commercial super auto or capsule system might be lower cost, lower risk, and easier to integrate into your business' workflow.

So as for your business model, at least in my part of the continent i dont know the jewish community to be particularly interested in high end coffee. You need to define your target market and design a business model that focuses on that. If it's high school kids, create products that are focused at them.

Wine and beer doesn't even remotely fit the target market of an ice cream/grilled cheese shop. And as a wine lover i'll just go out and say that no one wants to drink your home made wine (there's probably a whole other set of licensing involved there as well licensing yourself as a winery). This whole concept lacks focus. You need to decide specifically what products you are looking to make, and then maybe someone can help you decide how to get there. I think you have your answer as for how to make cuban coffee whatevers

actually i take pride in making exquisite wines which will blow away wine enthusiasts. obviously thats my biased opinion but this is one of the ways i see myself breaking into the market without opening a dedicated winery outlet and cheesecake and wine is like a match made in heaven. beer and grilled cheese too, besides id like to make a beer/iceream shake. some winery outlets have a fish/meat grill some pizza mine will be cheesecake and ice cream beer and grilled cheese.

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